Nepal and its labour-receiving countries have effectively failed in ensuring the migrant workers’ rights, experts say.

The UK’s Home Office immigration statistics show that 2,072 Nepalis got seasonal work visas in the first half of 2022.

The Make in Nepal initiative, jointly started by the government and the private sector, had envisioned four targets to boost the job market and the economy, but they all failed.

Despite the provision, Nepali migrant workers are still made to pay a hefty amount in recruitment fees, insiders say.

The state-owned DDC and privately-owned Nepal Dairy Association and Dairy Industry Association have requested the government to lift the ban on imports of skimmed milk powder to prevent shortages.

Labour migration researchers have questioned the rationale behind starting a scheme without adequate preparations.

Foreign Employment Board has approved proposals from 81 local units to start the programmes.

The mechanism for paying financial assistance to the workers and their families needs to be made easier, said experts.

Officials admit that there have been some issues related to payment, but say that the problem is not as severe as made out to be.

While some doctors say it is a welcome step, others doubt its effectiveness.

The scheme which covered only formal private sector workers has been expanded to migrant workers and self-employed persons abroad.

Nepali missions in destination countries have been given the authority to issue re-entry labour approvals.

The migrant workers say they paid recruiting agencies in Nepal Rs250,000 to Rs315,000 each in the hopes of making over Rs100,000 a month.

Galli Maps, an application which helps to locate houses and landmarks and Baato app that started operations earlier this year are finding more and more users.

Farms in the UK have already decided not to hire Nepalis due to a rise in absconder numbers and high recruitment fees.